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trends
FE&S reports on the hottest trends in tabletop design, concept development and
other areas of the foodservice industry — both at the back and front of the house.
by Amelia Levin
Stepped-Up Street Food
16 • FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES • MARCH 2018
Street food-inspired dishes remain a top trend across all industry segments.
From Chinese dumplings to Latin pupusas, any easy-to-eat, handheld and
globally inspired food remains a top choice for many consumers. The rise
of the food hall only contributes to street foods' expanse. Here's our list for
the trendiest of the trending street foods and their equipment and supply
implications, from prep to cooking and serving or packaging.
Dumplings
This form of comfort food appears
in many different cuisines, from
Chinese to African, Brazilian, Eastern
European, Turkish and more. Cooks
stuff these pasta — or wonton
wrapper — pockets with meat and/
or veggies before lightly steaming
or simmering the dumplings in
soups or stews.
Equipment possibilities: combi
ovens, steamers, basket and bam-
boo steamers, chopsticks, soup
kettles and saucepots.
Tempura Anything
A staple of Japanese cuisine, chefs
now tempura-style everything
from pickled vegetables to sweet
potatoes, fruit and more. All types of
restaurants embrace the trend, not
just ethnic ones.
Equipment possibilities: high-
volume, efficient fryers or larger,
deep skillets for pan-frying.
Kabobs
Looking for ways to showcase
global flavors, chefs in commercial
restaurant and noncommercial
college and university settings
continue to turn to kabobs thanks
to their easy-to-prepare-and-serve
format. Variations include Peruvian
anticuchos with skewered meats
and seafood to Japanese yakitori
grilled over charcoal and Moroccan
lamb kefta.
Equipment possibilities: wood-
or charcoal-fired grills, metal and
(soaked) wood skewers.
Pupusas
These thick cornmeal patties or
tortillas stuffed with savory fillings
are commonly eaten as street food
in El Salvador. Traditionally served
with curtido, a pickled cabbage
relish, and tomato sauce, chefs find
these handheld treats pair well with
just about any hot sauce, relish or
dipping condiment.
Equipment possibilities: mixing
bowls, large skillets for pan-frying,
pickling jars and containers for
curtido or other relish, wax paper
or compostable containers for
serving.
Ramen and Pho
A staple in Japanese, Vietnamese
and Southeast Asian cuisines,
ramen and pho blend vegetables
and noodles with herbs, aromat-
ics and sometimes proteins in
big bowls of steaming broth. No
need for spoons — traditional
enjoyment involves chopsticks for
wrapping up noodles and slurping
of the broth using two hands.
Equipment possibilities: soup
kettles and large saucepots, large
serving bowls, chopsticks, ladles.
TRENDING
STREET FOOD
CONDIMENTS
AND SPICES
Gochujang Korean chile paste
for dumplings, rice cakes, fried
chicken and Chinese-style bao
Habanero sauce Mexican hot
sauce for tacos, tortas and more
Calabrian chile peppers Italian
chiles with oil that chefs can
drizzle onto pizza
Berbere Ethiopian spice mix for
fried fish, lentil stews, meat and
vegetable dishes
Source: Datassential
64%
The percentage of chefs who
believe street food remains a
top trend for 2018.
Source: National Restaurant
Association's What's Hot 2018
Culinary Forecast
Globally Inspired Street Food